Bittersweet

Chapter 5

"C'mon, if you're going to jump out of cars we're walking there!" He grabbed Airy's handles and tugged, knowing it would hurt Airy.
"Ow- I don't... I don't want to go-" Liam continued tugging, ignoring Airy's quiet protests. Airy had slowly been getting more vocal about what he wanted, especially after the previous night. Liam was beginning to regret being happy about that. Sure, it made getting food easier, but that was the only positive he could see. Besides, Airy wasn't a big foodie, so there really was no point.
"Liam." Liam turned to look at Airy.
"What is it?" Airy pointed at the road. There were cars beginning to line up. Liam raised his eyebrows, he didn't see what was so bad about it that Airy would point it out. Airy pointed further up. Rolling his eyes, Liam looked up to where Airy was pointing. That's when he noticed Airy wasn't pointing at the cars, no, he was pointing to the gas station nearby.
"I... I want to go there..." Liam raised his eyebrows again, he had taken Airy to a gas station yesterday, when they had first made it back to Earth. Maybe-
Airy grabbed Liam's arm and tried to pull him along with him, like Liam had been doing to him, and the trip that had followed brought Liam back from his thoughts.
"Ow-! Airy, what in the actual FUCK was that-?" Liam felt his temper flaring as Airy stared at him.
"I'm... Sorry...?" Airy was still standing, but he had let go of Liam in surprise when he tripped, which was why Liam was on the ground.
"Ugh, just don't try to do that again-"
"But you... Do that... Too." Liam flinched as Airy pointed it out. He didn't want to admit it, but he had been quite controlling over Airy's actions. Airy looked at Liam silently as he stood back up.
"We... We can go to the gas station if you want..." He took Airy's wrist and led him across the road.

"What's this?" Airy pointed to a slushy machine, making Liam groan in annoyance.
"It's a slushy machine! I've told you at least 800 times Airy, just please stop with the stupid questions-"
"What's a slushy?"
"Fine, fine, I'll just buy one so you know-"
"What if I don't like it?"
Liam groaned again, as the milkshake at the counter stared.
"Are you two gentlemen alright?" She walked over, a mildly concerned expression on her face. Liam nodded silently as he grabbed a cup, filling it with the cold slushy.
"Look Airy, if you don't like it, just throw it in the bin." Airy nodded as Liam placed it on the counter. He had managed to score a few bucks from the USB that had driven them to this point. The milkshake tried to avoid staring at the pair in front of her. She felt like she'd seen the backpack before, but she couldn't-
"Um... Are you okay?" She flinched in surprise when she heard the backpack.
"Oh shi- I'm sorry! I'm just... I'm..." She quickly took the money and placed it in the register, feeling her face heating up from the embarrassment. Liam nodded and handed the slushy to Airy, leading him back outside. The milkshake stared as they left.
"I swear I've seen him before..."
Airy slurped at the slushy as Liam held his hand out.
"C'mon... I'm sick of walking..." Liam was mumbling as cars rushed by. They had been waiting for a while. Airy, thankfully, was quite distracted, so he hadn't tried to walk away. Suddenly, Liam felt his hopes rising. A car was finally stopping for them. A soap bar lowered her window, looking at them.
"Do you two need a ride?" Liam nodded as he grabbed Airy to shove him in the car.
"Hey-" Airy tried to protest as Liam pushed him into the car. Liam plopped himself down next to him.
"Um... We need to get to Bridgeport, could you-"
"Oh, Bridgeport? I was heading there myself." She turned back into the lane, returning to driving. Airy went back to drinking his slushy, while Liam sat awkwardly.
"Do you two want any music?" The soap bar seemed to be quite chatty. Not like Liam was complaining, it was someone other than Airy. He nodded, and she turned the radio on, and scrolled for a moment, before settling on a station. Everything seemed to be going fine. Liam stared out the window, noticing some police cars. He wondered what that was about.
The soap bar seemed to notice the police cars as well, quickly checking her speedometer.
"I think something happened up there," she looked at the duo in the mirror, "you two okay with possibly waiting a while?" Liam nodded while Airy ignored her. She sighed as she slowed down, joining the line-up. Airy looked at Liam briefly, then he presented his cup to him.
"Want a s-" A car suddenly swerved into the side, pushing them off the road. The car crashed into a tree, the force shattering multiple windows. Liam gasped in pain as he felt glass on his face. Airy had his eyes shut, tears seemed to be streaming down his face. The soap bar was shaking, as she turned to face them.
"A... Are you guys alright?" She noticed Liam covering his eye, and quickly clambered to the back, trying to check if he was alright. Liam flinched as she touched his face. She managed to get him to lower his hands. She gasped quietly when she saw the glass embedded in his eye.
“Holy shi-“ Airy looked at them, and quickly started touching his face, fear clouding his thoughts. The soap bar grabbed her phone, dialling for 911. She looked at Airy.
“Can you keep an eye on him?” Airy nodded, before noticing his slushy was tipped on its side.
“Aw man…” He sighed as he moved over towards Liam, while the soap left the car.
“… Airy-?” Liam opened his other eye, looking at Airy. Airy returned the gaze, unsure what he was meant to do. Liam shut his eye again, still in immense pain. Airy fidgeted silently, stealing glances at his slushy. Liam sighed as he tried to sit himself up as much as possible.
“Do you have any name other than Airy, that you can use?” Airy looked at him, feeling confused.
“What do you mean?” Liam groaned slightly. He didn’t want to have to do a huge explanation.
“If anyone asks for your name, do you have any other name you would like?” He wasn’t sure how he was still conscious enough to explain. Airy thought for a moment.
“Can it… be close to Airy?” Liam nodded silently, trying to keep himself from passing out.
“… Aiden…?” Airy remembered a name he had found, while looking for contestants. Liam nodded.
“That sounds good, you can use Aiden.” Airy smiled. Liam thought for a moment, trying to bring himself to think clearly, which was definitely quite a difficult task, you know, with glass stabbed right in your eyeball.
“If they ask for a surname, just say Hansen.” He wasn’t sure why he was going for Bryce’s last name, but he was too dazed to care.
“Aiden… Hansen?” Liam nodded. He was beginning to feel faint. He opened his eye again, looking back at Airy. He felt a pressure on his hand, and he realised Airy had clasped his hand over it. Shutting his eyes again, Liam felt his consciousness slip away. Maybe he could just have a rest, it’d take the pain away, at least for a little bit.
“Police are coming, an ambulance should arrive soon too.” The soap peeked back in the car. Airy looked at her silently. She stared down at Liam, realising he had passed out.
“Um… What were your names, anyway?” She wanted to try and distract herself from what had happened. Airy shrugged.
“… Aiden, and… Liam.” Airy felt weird introducing himself as Aiden. He still quite liked the name, though. The soap nodded, before peeking back outside.
“Police are here. Do… Do you think you can get Liam out of the car?” Airy nodded, before he lifted Liam off the seat, as he placed him onto his back. It felt weird doing this again, but at least Liam wasn’t trying to kill him this time. Airy flinched as he saw an axe standing outside the car.
“Aiden?”
Airy jumped as he heard his “name”. The axe walked over to them.
“Can I see him?” Airy nodded, turning around and lowering Liam to the ground, so the axe could look at Liam properly.
“The ambulance will arrive soon, so they’ll be able to take care of him.” Airy nodded. He wasn’t sure what was happening anymore.
“How will I… How will Liam and I get to… get to Bridgeport?” The axe thought for a moment.
“We can get him to the hospital there fairly easily, you could probably go too, since you two are already here together anyway. I’m fairly certain the paramedics will let you.” Airy nodded, before sitting next to Liam. He stared at Liam, uncertain. Liam remained unconscious, as the paramedics arrived and brought him into the ambulance. Airy followed, trying to stay with Liam. One of the medics stared as Airy ran towards Liam, grasping his hand again. She rolled her eyes as she shut the rear doors.
“You might want to sit down, you know.” Airy looked at the medic, before sitting down. He yawned slightly, as he kept his grip on Liam’s hand.
-Author's Note-
I'm aware that I've put some very gay scenes, but keep this in mind, I don't fully understand how to write platonic bonding, especially since I struggle with that in real life, so just think of it like this, Airy, being dead and away from people for over ten years, doesn't know how to form bonds.